I am finding more and more that some of the greatest miracles that I see in my life come through my daily scripture study. I believe with all my heart that the Lord asks us to read our scriptures each day because His words can lift us higher. As we read His words, it invites the presence of the Spirit, and He is able to inspire us with thoughts from on high. When I find myself pondering different passages, I recognize the Lord's influence on my thoughts. The natural man would not think such thoughts on his own, but the scriptures let the Spirit in and allow the Lord's thoughts to become our thoughts.

There is nothing else in the world that I would rather be doing right now than staying at home with my daughter. I love her and I love being her mother! While this is the most fulfilling role that I have ever played in my life, I am still human and I have a need to feel fulfillment in other ways too. I've been praying recently that the Lord would help me enrich my life and find enjoyment and happiness through many different avenues. You won't be surprised to hear that my answer came through my scripture study this last week.

Isn't it funny that you can read a passage of scripture 100 times, and then simply because of changed circumstances, focus, or needs, it can mean something completely different and new to you? This happened to me a few days ago when  I read the story about the Widow's mite. Mind you, I've always enjoyed this story and found it inspiring that this woman gave everything that she had. But with my recent plea in mind, I saw this story in a whole new light and it touched my heart beyond what words can express. In Mark, the story reads:

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." ~ Mark 12:41-44

I don't know why, but when I'd read this story in the past I'd always associated it with tithing in my mind. This time, however, I realized that this story can represent something completely different that applies to each of us. We learn from the account that this woman literally gave everything that she had, which wasn't much. I read about the mite in the Bible Dictionary, and I learned that the mite was the smallest bronze coin that the Jews used.

As the other men were standing by casting in more money than she had probably ever seen, it would have been easy for her to feel embarrassed and silly contributing such a small amount. She could have easily justified not giving the small amount, thinking that it would not make any difference. Her two mites would not be noticed among the abundance that others cast in, but surely she would notice the absence of her living. Why, then, did this woman do what she did?

We don't know her reasons as they are not recorded. But I like to think that one possible reason is that she understood something profound; she must have understood that making such a sacrifice would strengthen her and bless her beyond what the money could have done for her. She knew of the power that lies in the Lord, and she knew that when we sacrifice everything for Him and His cause, He will bless us and make us better.

As I pondered this, I was filled with love for and was in complete awe of this magnificent woman. I saw myself in the widow, not because I am without a husband or money, but because I am capable of giving everything to the Lord too. I tend to think that what I have to offer is so small in comparison to what other people have to offer (and I know I'm not the only one who thinks like this). Sometimes I am selfish and have a hard time wanting to give up my most precious commodity - my time. Sometimes I think that I can't really make a difference. But this is so wrong!

The widow teaches us that no matter how small our offering, we must give everything. I realized that the way for me to feel true fulfillment and happiness would be through sacrificing everything for the Lord and making His will, my will. Sacrifice of time, talents, habits, or anything else is never convenient. But if it was convenient or easy, it would not be capable of producing such strength.

This realization was a miracle for me because it came right before multiple opportunities to cast in my mite, so to speak. I was more ready to accept these opportunities because they Lord had prepared me for them and helped me see the value in them.

The beauty in this miracle is that it changes us more than it does the world around us. It gives the Lord power to shape us into the people that we need to become so that we can be like Him one day. Remembering this has given me the courage to strive to sacrifice everything for the Lord, and that is the kind of legacy and the kind of miracle that I want to give my family.

Soon after we moved, I was asked to serve as the Sunday school teacher for the youth ages 12-13 in our ward. To say that I was delighted would be an extreme understatement of my feelings about the calling. I was excited beyond all measure. I was honored and humbled that the Lord wanted me to work with the youth - the future leaders of His church. I grew to love the youth in my class quickly and I looked forward to our class each Sunday.

I'd only been a Sunday school teacher for about two months when I was asked to serve in the Young Women's presidency in our ward. I was shocked that a different calling had come to me so quickly. Being the ridiculous person that I am, I was a little worried at first that maybe I had done something wrong as a teacher and the Lord needed to put me somewhere else. It was my first time teaching, and perhaps I had messed up and I didn't even realize it! I quickly realized, however, that this thought was absurd. The more I thought about it, the more I realized the Lord's influence in the unfolding of these events.

I didn't wean Kate until she was 12 months old, which made Sundays hard because she usually wanted to eat in the middle of church. So, I had to leave my class or meeting to go feed her. This made church difficult, and it would have been even more difficult for me to be able to fulfill my responsibilities as a Young Women's leader. For those who don't know, part of being a Young Women's leader is planning and attending activities every Wednesday night. Kate still had a small feeding right before bed, and she goes to bed right when I would need to be gone for these activities.

It was only a week after I began weaning Kate that I was asked to serve in the Young Women's presidency. Coincidence? I think not. The Lord knew what I could handle, and He waited until I was in a position to magnify my calling. The calling will still stretch me and push me, but I feel more capable now than I would have felt three or four months ago. The Lord has a work for me to do, but He also has my individual circumstances and my capabilities in mind. I am so grateful for His kindness and His tenderness to me.

In addition, I know that the fact that I still get to work with the youth is a tender mercy from the Lord. I discovered in the short two months that I taught Sunday school that I LOVE the youth. As I've looked back on my leaders and how much they influenced my life and how much I love them, I can only hope that I can be that kind of a leader to the youth around me. And although I don't feel old enough to be a leader, I have faith that who the Lord calls, He qualifies.

I love my Heavenly Father. I know that He always has His children's best interest in mind.  I know that if we will just trust in His will and His timing, everything will turn out for the best and all will be well in the end (as well as on the journey that takes us there). As we look back on our journey, we will be able to look back and see without a doubt that He had us in mind the whole time.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Transitioning from being around a lot of family back to being isolated from loved ones by distance is difficult for me. I enjoyed and appreciated the company of my in-laws so much over Christmas break; it was difficult to leave. I am embarrassed to admit that I fell into a little bit of a slump after we got home. I felt lonely, sad, and grumpy for a few days. I allowed negative thoughts to creep into my mind, and I quickly realized that I was the one perpetuating my sorry state.

Recognizing that I was stuck in a little bit of a rut, and knowing that I needed help getting out, I turned to my Heavenly Father in prayer for help. I've experienced times where my prayers are answered right away as well as times when the answer does not come immediately. This time, however, the answer was almost immediate. As soon as I closed my prayer, I felt like a burden had been lifted off of my shoulders. I felt more lighthearted and happy, though this is not to say that the temptation to wallow in pity was removed. As I realized that I still had a battle to fight, the Lord helped me by inspiring me with what I needed to ask for in my prayers that night.

As I knelt down to close my day with the Lord, I prayed that I would know what I needed to do in order to be happy and stay happy, no matter what my circumstances are. The next evening, Daniel and I listened to a conference talk by President Monson from the last general conference. In this talk, President Monson shares a story about a man who asked him for a blessing. This man was old and dying. He could no longer see or hear. The following is Presiden't Monson's description of the man's reaction to the blessing:

Although he had not heard the blessing we had given him, the Spirit was strong, and I believe he was inspired to know we had provided the blessing which he needed. This sweet man could no longer see. He could no longer hear. He was confined night and day to a small room in a care center. And yet the smile on his face and the words he spoke touched my heart. “Thank you,” he said. “My Heavenly Father has been so good to me.”

 This part of the talk resonated with me and touched my heart. I knew immediately that this was part of God's answer to my prayer: I needed to remember His goodness to me. Over the last few days, I have started a new habit: if there is ever a negative or sorrowful thought that enters my mind, I immediately think, "Heavenly Father has been so good to me." The power that lies in these words never fails. Remembering God's goodness to me softens my heart and lifts my Spirits. His love and kindness to me is greater than any sorrow or trouble.

This principle was confirmed to me, yet again, the following day when I was doing my scripture study. In Mark 5, Jesus casts a legion of devils out of a man. Following this experience, the people in the city ask the man who was once afflicted with the devils to leave. The man follows Jesus and asks if he can stay with him. The Savior, however, responds:

...Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. (Mark 5:19)

 There is power for ourselves and for others in celebrating the good things that God has done for us. I have seen in my own life that remembering His goodness has given me the power to overcome weakness and feel joy. I know, also, that as I strive to share with others the good things that He has done for me, I will be able to lift others and be lifted myself.

So, let it be known to all - I have hard days. I struggle with weaknesses. My life isn't perfect. But God has been so good to me! His mercy is unending and His love unconditional. Because of Him, I know that I can find happiness in the good times and the bad if I will simply remember His goodness and acknowledge His mercy in all that I do. The Lord helped me lift my spirits and my sights this week, and it was a miracle for me.

Between holiday travel and illness, it's been a while since I've been able to write. I've seen many tender mercies in the last few weeks. Between excellent weather for traveling, a car that didn't die on us, and a toddler that didn't scream the entire way to Oklahoma, things have been pretty great around here. I could go on an on about the little miracles that our family has seen, but my heart is drawn to something completely different today. This tender mercy is one that graces my life every day, and will continue to do so forever.

Daniel is one of the most magnificent tender mercies that my Heavenly Father has ever sent me. When I married Daniel, I didn't realize that it was possible to love someone so much and I had a hard time imagining how that love could have any room to grow. As I'm sure you already guessed, it has grown.....and grown, and grown! My love for him grows deeper and stronger as our time together moves forward.

When we got married, I knew a lot about Daniel. We were best friends and we shared everything with each other. One of my favorite parts about being married is continually getting to know each other better and becoming closer friends. As I learn more about Daniel, I see more and more that the Lord knew exactly what I needed in an eternal companion. I see more of Daniel's virtues and strengths all the time, and as I do, I realize that the Lord knew exactly what I needed.

Ironically, I didn't even realize that these were qualities that I needed in a companion when we got married. It's amazing, though, how marriage forces you to get to know yourself better than you probably ever wanted to know yourself. You become painfully aware of your own weaknesses and you become acutely aware of the effect that those weaknesses can have on those around you. As I've become aware of my weaknesses and little quirks, I've also become aware of Daniel's strengths. Wouldn't you know, he is strong where I am weak.

I am so grateful that Heavenly Father helped me find someone who inspires me to overcome my weaknesses and become a better woman. I want to be better because he is just so good. I did not know everything there was to know about Daniel or about myself when we got married. But Heavenly Father knew everything about each of us, and He knew that we would complement each other and find great joy and happiness together. I am grateful for Heavenly Father's mercy in blessing me with such a sweet companion. This miracle is one that continues to unfold with time, and I know that it will continue to bless me and my family forever.

I am grateful for the temple covenants that bind us together. The power and peace that they bring into my life are miracles in and of themselves. Knowing that I can be with my sweetheart and my family forever is one of life's sweetest blessings. Who knows what tomorrow will hold, but I am grateful that I can live happily today, knowing that my family will be a permanent part of my future.